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50m ago

Shutdown Reaches Day Four as House Cancels Votes and Senate Democrats Stand Firm on Health Care

With Congress idle until Monday, pressure is building ahead of the Oct. 15 military payday.

Grace Cook, a Republican volunteer, poses for a picture outside the early voting location in Virginia Beach, Virginia, U.S., October 2, 2025. REUTERS/Nathan Layne
Political party volunteers wait to greet voters outside the early voting location in Virginia Beach, Virginia, U.S., October 2, 2025. REUTERS/Nathan Layne
Jan Callaway, a Republican poll watcher, poses for a picture outside the early voting location in Virginia Beach, Virginia, U.S., October 2, 2025. REUTERS/Nathan Layne
Betty Snellenberg, a volunteer for the Democratic Party, poses for a picture outside the early voting location in Virginia Beach, Virginia, U.S., October 2, 2025. REUTERS/Nathan Layne

Overview

  • Senate Democrats have for the fourth time blocked a House-passed seven-week "clean" funding bill, using the 60-vote threshold to press for extending ACA premium subsidies and undoing recent Medicaid changes.
  • Speaker Mike Johnson canceled House votes for a district work period and told members the chamber will return only with at least 48 hours’ notice if a Senate deal emerges.
  • Republicans are trying to flip additional Democratic votes after Sens. John Fetterman, Catherine Cortez Masto and Angus King backed the GOP plan, with targets including Jeanne Shaheen, Gary Peters, Maggie Hassan, Dick Durbin and Jon Ossoff.
  • The administration has frozen selected funds and prepared layoff plans as shutdown impacts widen, with TSA employees working without pay, national parks curtailed, and SNAP and WIC facing funding risk.
  • Both parties escalated a messaging war: Democrats launched district ads tying the shutdown to higher health costs, while Republicans rolled out spots accusing Democrats of blocking government funding and highlighting military pay risks.